The nominees for the Fifa Best Awards have been released, with some interesting names on the list across the different categories.
The qualification period for the awards spans from 19 December 2022 to 20 August 2023 and includes several different categories including best player, best coach and best goalkeeper.
Here are five big talking points from the nominations…
Brozovic for best player
Embed from Getty ImagesPerhaps a surprise inclusion on the list for best player is Al Nassr’s Marcelo Brozovic.
The midfielder played a key part in Inter Milan’s run to the Champions League final and also won both the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italia, as well as finishing as a runner-up with Croatia in the Nations League.
His achievements with club and country last season were impressive but his inclusion will be bound to get people talking given the calibre of player he is up against.
Ange Postecoglou a contender for best coach
New Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has made it onto the list of nominees for best coach for his achievements with Scottish giants Celtic last season.
The Aussie won his second successive league title with the club, part of a domestic treble having also won the Scottish Cup and Scottish League cup.
His achievements with the club earned him a move to Spurs this summer, where he has made a fine start to his new job. But an inclusion of a coach from the Scottish Premier League on the list is certainly interesting.
Man City’s Alvarez makes it onto the list
Embed from Getty ImagesAnother perhaps surprising inclusion on the list for best player is Man City forward Julian Alvarez. The 23-year-old has impressed since joining the club in 2022, scoring nine goals in his debut Premier League season and helping the club to win a historic treble.
Alvarez also helped Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar, scoring four goals in the tournament to earn him a place on this year’s list for best player, despite playing second fiddle to fellow nominee Erling Haaland at Man City for the majority of the last campaign.
No room for Jorge Vilda
Embed from Getty ImagesAmong the contenders for the best women’s coach of the year are England boss Sarina Wiegman and Chelsea manager Emma Hayes, but not World Cup winning coach with Spain, Jorge Vilda.
Vilda led his Spain side to the World Cup with a 1-0 win over England in the final last month but has since lost his job following his support for Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales, who came under fire for kissing star player Jenni Hermoso in the post-final celebrations.
Declan Rice nominated
Also on the list for best men’s player is Arsenal and England’s Declan Rice for his exploits at West Ham last season, where he won the Europa Conference League trophy and was named the competition’s player of the tournament.
Rice completed his £105m move to the Gunners this summer following his outstanding form for London rivals West Ham which earned him a place on the list despite a disappointing Premier League campaign with the east London side.
